


Mere Mortals

by Chelsea Frew (chelseafrew)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Barista Louis, Fluff, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 12:45:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14832507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chelseafrew/pseuds/Chelsea%20Frew
Summary: Louis' job as a barista improves dramatically when a new customer becomes a regular.





	Mere Mortals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HalfOfMe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalfOfMe/gifts).



> Thanks to HalfofMe for the prompts. I combined two, as you can see. The prompts I worked from were:
> 
> _2.) Everytime Harry goes into Starbucks for work, he gives the cute Blue Eyed Bird Barista Boy (Louis) a fake superhero name to watch the way his eyes crinkle as he laughs everytime he writes another name onto another plastic lid, but all Louis wants to do is take him out._
> 
> and:
> 
> _3.) Louis works at a coffee shop/cafe and claims himself to be the Tea Expert of the shop. Harry comes in after work, orders a tea and insists on making it himself. Louis watches him and oh god what is he doing YOU DONT PUT THE MILK IN BEFORE THE TEA BAG and suddenly Harry’s lavender jumper is soaked and he’s screaming because HOT WATER and they’re both in the ER._
> 
> I had to tweak these a little to make them work, but I really hope you like the way this turned out.
> 
> My thanks, also, to my BFF, Cori, who helped me plot this so it made sense, then beta'd it for me when it was done. She's the best!
> 
> Thanks, finally, to the mods, for keeping this challenge on.
> 
> Now, on to the story....

The first time Louis saw him was right around seven-thirty on what was a pretty typical Wednesday morning. He stood patiently behind a couple regulars, waiting for his turn to place his order.

When Louis worked this shift, he usually worked the register, and this morning, he was more grateful than he'd ever been for that.

The man looked younger than Louis, though probably not by much. He had dark brown hair which was a little on the long side, falling in soft curls around his ears. His eyes were light--either blue or green--and they were set perfectly in an impossibly handsome face. He was dressed in casual khakis and a dark blue t-shirt, and when he offered Louis a smile when it was his turn to order, a dimple popped in his left cheek.

He was the best thing Louis had ever seen.

With a little shake of his head, Louis focused on his job. "Good morning," he greeted the handsome young man. "What can I get for you?"

"A venti caramel macchiato," the man ordered in a low, melodic voice. Inwardly, Louis swooned.

"Of course." Louis punched the order into his display. "Anything else?"

"A croissant, please." Green. The young man's eyes were green.

"Warmed?"

The man smiled. "That would be great."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it, thanks." The man held out a gift card, ready to pay.

"Name for the order?" Louis asked the last question required for this order.

The young man executed a devilish smirk, and Louis had to brace his hand against the counter to stay focused. "Spider-Man," the man said.

Louis raised his eyebrows and smiled himself. "Spider-Man?"

"That's right," the man confirmed.

"In my off time, I'm Batman, so I totally get it." Louis wrote the name on a venti cup. "That'll be nine pounds fifty."

The man handed Louis the cgift ard, and Louis swiped it, most unhappy that it wasn't a credit card he could read a name from.

When Louis returned the card, the man said, "Cheers." Then, regrettably, he moved off to await his drink and breakfast, and Louis had another customer to deal with. More's the pity.

* * *

Spider-Man came in again the next morning. Louis was once again on the register. Louis' heart sped up and beat wildly until it was the handsome young man's turn.

"Good morning," Louis began as the man with the devastating dimples stepped up to the counter.

"Good morning," the young man returned.

"Same as yesterday?" Louis questioned him. "Venti caramel macchiato?"

The young man grinned. "You remember me."

"I do," Louis assured him.

"Actually, today I'd just like a venti café latte, please," the man ordered.

Louis nodded, punching the order in. "Anything to eat? Croissant?"

"No. I think I'll have a bagel today," the man told him with a wide grin.

Louis worked hard not to melt in the face of such beauty. "Plain? Cream cheese? Butter?"

"Cream cheese."

"You've got it," Louis said. "Can I get you anything else?"

The man shook his head. "No, thanks."

Just as he had done the day before, Louis requested a name for the order.

With the same smirk he'd worn the day before, the young man replied, "Superman."

Louis wrote the moniker on a cup, as he had the day before, then accepted the same gift card the man had paid with the day before. "Your order will be up shortly, Clark."

"That's Supes to you, Batman" the man corrected.

Louis' slow shake of his head at the bad joke made the young man laugh.

Louis could hear him all the way to the waiting area. He could hardly wait until Friday.

* * *

His manager, Jase, wanted him to make the drinks Friday morning, but Louis requested to run the register again. Jase was surprised--Louis had never expressed a deep love for waiting directly on the customers--but he acquiesced and asked Tilly to handle the drinks. Tilly, for her part, didn't seem to care.

Louis considered all of this a giant win when the gorgeous superhero he'd been waiting for walked through the door just after seven-thirty.

There was a longer queue than usual, which wasn't unusual for a Friday. It seemed ages before the young man with the dark brown curls and bright green eyes made it up to the register.

"Good morning, Superman," Louis opened with, unable to keep himself from smiling. "Or is it Spider-Man today?"

"Actually, Batman, it's Iron Man today," the clearly conflicted man corrected.

Grabbing a cup and scrawling _Iron Man_ on it, Louis nodded his understanding. "Got it. And what would you like today to keep you powered up?"

"A venti caramel macchiato with an extra shot. It's Friday; I need a little more to get through the day," the man explained.

"I hear you," Louis agreed. "Anything to eat today?"

The young man perused the pastry case for a moment before making his request. "A blueberry muffin, please."

Louis entered in Iron Man's order. "Anything else?"

"No, that's it for today." The man flashed his adorable smile in Louis' direction. "Thanks."

"Your order will be up shortly," Louis told him. Just as it had the past two days, Louis' heart broke just a little as the man walked away.

The day was all downhill from there.

* * *

Louis was at work Saturday, but no superheroes came in. He was off on Sunday, but when he arrived bright and early on Monday, he had high hopes that his favourite new customer would come by.

Sure enough, at just around seven-thirty a.m., as had become his custom, the young man with a litany of alter-egos walked in and got on the queue. Louis was glad that once again, he had fought for--and won--register duty.

The young man appeared sleepy when he walked up to Louis. "Hi, Batman," he said in his low, slow drawl.

"Hi, Iron Man," Louis returned. "Busy weekend?"

"Yeah," the man confirmed. "I need another day to actually rest."

Aware that there was a queue of people behind his superhero friend, Louis asked, "What can I get you this morning? Something with an extra shot?"

"That sounds great," the young man said. "How about a caramel macchiato with an extra shot?"

"Venti?" Louis inquired.

With a nod, his customer said, "Yes, please. And a croissant, too."

"Done," Louis promised, keying the order in. "What alias are you using today? Or are you still going with Iron Man?"

The young man grinned and thought it over for a moment before answering, "Thor."

Louis grinned back. "I can definitely see the resemblance." After a pause, he added, "Your drink and pastry will be up shortly. I hope you have a good Monday."

"You, too."

The weekend away had not made it any easier to watch this gorgeous young man walk away. The only good news was that the next day was another weekday, and Louis would only have to wait twenty-four hours to see the young man again. He could make it. He was almost sure.

* * *

Louis' boss and his co-worker both had to leave mid-afternoon, leaving Louis alone to handle the shop. Jase had a kid emergency, Tilly had a class she couldn't miss, and, as luck would have it, the afternoon/evening shift barista, Claude, was deathly ill with the flu. Louis didn't mind being on his own. The shop was at its busiest in the early part of the day. Afternoons were almost always steady, but not intense. Louis knew he'd be fine--and he could always use the extra hours.

It was just after four when the bell over the door jingled. Louis looked up from his task of wiping down counters to see who had entered the store. To his immense surprise and joy, it was the superhero of ever-changing names. He hadn't had to wait twenty-four hours to see him after all.

Louis grinned more widely than was, perhaps, warranted as he moved to man the register. "Hey there, Thor."

The young man smiled just as big as Louis. "Hi, Batman."

"What brings you in at this unusual time of day?" Louis inquired. "Need a second coffee fix?"

Thor shook his head. "Actually, I need some tea this afternoon. It was a very long day."

"Well, you're in luck," Louis told him. "I happen to be an expert tea maker."

Thor looked around a bit. "Are you all alone?"

Louis nodded. "My boss had an emergency, and my co-worker who's usually on shift right now has the plague."

"Yikes!"

"Oh, he'll be fine. He just can't be here contaminating the public."

"Well, if it's just you, maybe I can come back there and make my own drink," the young man suggested. "Just in case you have to wait on someone else."

Louis paused for just a moment to think. He absolutely knew he shouldn't allow it, but there was another part of him which wanted to do it anyway.

Off Louis' hesitation, the superhero went on, "I have a certain way I like my tea anyhow, so it would be less stress on you to not have to remember my silly order."

"Well, that is my job," Louis pointed out. That said, he was more than a little intrigued to see what the young man would do. Against his better judgment, he decided to take the young man up on his offer. "Okay, I'll let you back here. But there's a condition."

"Naturally."

"Before I can let you back here, I need to know your name. Your real name," he clarified before the man could pick yet another superhero.

"You don't believe my name is Thor?"

"No."

The man grinned. "Okay. I'm Harry. And you are…not Batman?"

Louis held out his hand. "I'm Louis," he introduced himself.

His brain nearly short-circuited from the electricity which passed between then as Harry took his hand. Harry's hand was huge and warm, and his handshake was firm and friendly. Louis never wanted to let go, but he forced himself to before Harry began to regret ever coming into the shop.

"Well, now that we're properly introduced, come on back." Louis walked over to the place where the counter lifted, creating an entry from the main part of the store into the working part of the store.

Harry walked through the entry, then waited for Louis to show him to where he could make his tea.

"First, pick a cup," Louis directed, pointing to the shelf that held several sizes and colours of mugs.

Harry perused his options, then picked a grande cup.

Louis began to go on. "I can help you steam some water--"

Harry cut him off to make a request. "Just point out where the things I need are, then I can make it, and you can mind the store."

"All right," Louis agreed, albeit a little reluctantly. He pointed to each item as he named it. "You can steam water there. Tea bags are there. Milk is in that fridge, if you need it. And sugar is here." He lifted the metal container he and his colleagues poured sweetness from.

"Excellent," Harry told him. "I'm all set, thanks."

Louis stepped back to let Harry get to work, smiling at the serious look on Harry's face as he pushed up the sleeves of his lavender-coloured jumper.

First, Harry took the metal pitcher used for heating water, and he filled it from the nearby sink. Next, he held it with the steamer inside and flicked the switch to heat the water. When the water was piping hot, he set it on the counter and grabbed the box of Earl Grey tea, plucking out a bag and placing it into the cup.

Louis continued to follow Harry with his eyes as Harry pulled the whole milk from the fridge. Louis' eyes widened with horror as Harry poured some milk into the cup right on top of the tea bag.

Harry was lifting the metal pitcher to pour water into the cup when Louis couldn't stand it anymore. Waving his hands, he cried, "No, no, no, you can't do that."

In his haste to stop Harry from making a huge mistake, Louis bumped the pitcher and steaming hot water spilled out all over the left sleeve of Harry's jumper.

Several things happened at once. Harry yelped, he dropped the pitcher to the floor with a crash, and Louis' widened his eyes and gasped. What on Earth had he done?

"Oh my God, Harry! I'm so sorry!" Louis exclaimed.

Harry had begun to hiss, and he was clenching his fists, clearly trying to calm himself.

"We should get your arm under cool water," Louis stated, his training kicking into gear. Burns happened all the time there at the coffee shop, and they were all well-versed in what to do.

Moving to the sink and running the water--adjusting the tap so the temperature was somewhere between cold and lukewarm--Louis encouraged Harry, "Come over here." He gestured with his hand urgently.

Harry gingerly pulled the sleeve of his jumper up, exposing an angry red burn on his forearm. He placed his arm under the stream of water Louis had started. At first Harry sucked in a breath and made to pull his arm away.

"No, keep it under the water," Louis insisted. "As soon as you've been doing that for a couple minutes, we'll wrap it in gauze and head to the A&E."

"The A&E?"" Harry squeaked, bent over a little awkwardly to keep his arm under the water. "Is that necessary?"

"Definitely," Louis said. "I'm going to go hang the closed sign now." He didn't even wait for Harry to respond before he briskly walked to the door to switch the sign from _Open_ to _Closed_. He locked the front door, immensely grateful there were no other customers to worry about. Finally, he grabbed the first aid kit from where they stored it underneath the cash register.

When he returned to Harry's side, Harry asked, "Are you sure you can close up? Won't your boss be mad?"

Louis shook his head. "Getting that burn looked at would be his first priority, too." He peered more closely at Harry's arm, still bright red. Louis thought it was probably just a first-degree burn, but he'd feel better having a doctor check it out. "What do you think? Ready for some gauze?"

Harry nodded. "I think so."

Louis turned the water off and handed Harry a cloth. "Pat it very, very gently."

Harry did as Louis directed, then allowed Louis to loosely wrap some gauze from the kit around his forearm. Harry cradled his arm against his chest with care. "Now what?"

"My car's out back. I just need to make sure everything is off, then we can go."

"Okay."

Louis quickly checked all the machines and ensured that they were all in the off position, then he led Harry through the back of the shop--grabbing the store keys from outside Jase's tiny office--and outside to the alley where his car was parked.

He saw to Harry's door first, then rushed around to the driver's side to climb in and start the car.

Fortunately, there was a hospital not very far away, so even in the rush hour traffic, it only took fifteen minutes to drive there. It was a drive of silence, with Louis deeply regretting his choice to let Harry behind the counter and Harry closing his eyes and sitting statue-still. Louis presumed this was to guard against the pain of his burn.

Louis lucked into a great space in the hospital car park, then walked with Harry into the A&E. After checking Harry in, they sat in the waiting room for Harry to be called.

"If only I'd given you a head injury, you'd be at the front of the line," Louis joked.

Harry groaned at Louis' attempt at humour. He glanced around the room. There were two other men, a woman by herself, and a woman with a kid who was probably around ten years old. "There aren't too many people here. It shouldn't take that long for them to see me."

Louis pointed to Harry's arm. "How's it feeling?"

"It stings a lot, but it doesn't feel any worse," Harry reported.

"I'm so, so sorry," Louis said again, his guilt eating away at him there in the cold A&E waiting room.

"You didn't do it on purpose," Harry returned.

"You were putting milk in first," Louis explained. "That's not how you make tea."

Harry blinked incredulously. "That was your problem?"

Louis shrugged and gave Harry a sheepish smile. "That's just not how it's done."

"So wrong that you had to scald my arm?" Harry asked with a beleaguered shake of his head.

"Well, I only meant to stop you from making a grievous tea error, not to wound you," Louis defended himself. "I truly am sorry you got hurt."

"Over tea," Harry clarified pointedly.

"Truly, truly, really sorry," Louis repeated.

"I know," Harry relented, giving Louis a break.

At that moment, a nurse stepped into the waiting room and called out, "Harry Styles?"

"That's me," Harry answered her.

"The doctor will see you now," the nurse said, approaching Harry where he was standing.

Harry turned back to Louis. "You don't need to stay now that I'm getting to see the doctor."

Louis shook his head. "I'll wait."

"He can come with you," the nurse told Harry helpfully.

"You want to?" Harry checked.

"Sure," Louis responded, quickly standing up himself and following as the nurse led Harry into an exam bay.

While they waited, Louis sent off a text to his boss to explain why the store was closed. Just as he'd expected, Jase was very understanding, and asked just that as soon as Harry was discharged, Louis go back to the store to reopen it for the remainder of the evening.

It didn't take that long for a doctor--a woman who introduced herself as Dr. Carter--to appear to check Harry's arm. Harry introduced himself and Louis to her before she began her examination.

After Harry pulled off his jumper--making Louis' heart beat substantially faster; Harry was _fit_ \--the doctor carefully unwrapped the gauze from the coffee shop's first aid kit. Louis hoped she would tell them Harry just had a first-degree burn, nothing more serious.

"I ran it under some cool water, then Louis wrapped the gauze around it," Harry explained to the doctor.

Louis didn't think there was anything else he could have done to treat Harry's burn, but he was nonetheless relieved when Dr. Carter said, "That was the right thing to do."

"How bad is it?" Louis asked, anxious to hear how Harry's arm was.

After another moment of study, the doctor declared, "It looks like a first-degree burn."

Louis and Harry both heaved sighs of relief.

"It's a bad one, but I don't think you need treatment more intensive than some lidocaine and antibiotic ointment," Dr. Carter went on.

"That's good," Harry commented, already looking calmer.

"I'll just get a nurse to bring in what we need, and we'll get you treated and out of here," she said.

"Thanks," Harry and Louis chorused together.

Less than five minutes later, a nurse who called herself Elise appeared. She proceeded to clean Harry's burn, then she applied some lidocaine, then some antibiotic cream. When she was done with that, she very loosely wrapped Harry's forearm in gauze.

"How does it feel?" the nurse asked when she was done.

Harry nodded. "Feels much better. Thanks."

"There will be a prescription for more of both of the creams with your discharge papers," Elise informed him.

"Excellent," Louis interjected. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

The nurse shook her head. "You're all set. Just check out at the discharge counter."

Harry reached for his jumper, slipping it on. "Thanks so much."

"My pleasure." She smiled warmly. "Have a good evening."

As Nurse Elise left the cubicle to attend to another patient, Harry jumped off the exam table and looked at Louis. "Crisis averted."

"I'm glad you're okay," Louis told him, sincerely happy that it hadn't been worse.

"Me, too." Harry grinned. "Why don't we go check me out, then get you back to the shop?"

"I can make you some tea," Louis suggested. When Harry winced, Louis smirked. "Too soon?"

With a roll of his eyes, Harry agreed. "Too soon."

* * *

The ride back to _Café Dreams_ was much calmer than the drive to the A &E had been. Louis turned on the mix CD one of his sisters had made for him not too long ago. A song by The Script came on, and when Louis started to sing along, Harry did too. Louis almost stopped singing so he could listen to Harry's beautiful voice, but he was afraid if he stopped, Harry would, too, so he just took what he could and harmonised until the song ended.

"Good song," Harry commented.

"Isn't it?" Louis returned as the next song--Michael Jackson's _Billie Jean_ \--began.

"This one's great, too." Harry smiled widely. "Old school."

They sang along to that, too. They arrived back at the café as the song was nearing the end, and they stayed in the car to finish singing.

As Louis shut off the car, Harry said, "Thanks for taking me to hospital."

"There's absolutely no reason for you to thank me when it was my fault you had to go at all," Louis pointed out.

"Well, I insisted on making my own tea," Harry countered. "Maybe we're equally responsible."

Louis was sceptical "I don't know about that." He unhooked his seatbelt. "I should probably get back in and reopen the store."

Unhooking his own belt, Harry climbed out of the car at the same time Louis did. "I should be getting home. Thanks for a…different afternoon than I had planned." Slowly, he started to turn in the direction of the high street.

Louis hesitated for just a moment before throwing caution to the wind. "Do you want to try for something that doesn't include a trip to the A&E?"

Harry stopped in his tracks. "Are you asking me out?"

With a hopeful smile, Louis answered, "I am."

"Okay." Harry smiled back at Louis. "I'm in."

Inwardly, Louis jumped with joy. Outwardly, he simply inquired, "You free Friday?"

"I am," Harry echoed Louis' words of just a minute earlier.

"Awesome. Give me your number, and I can text you with a time and a place?"

Harry walked around to the driver's side of the car and took Louis' mobile, handing it back after typing into Louis' contacts.

Louis laughed when he saw the name Harry had entered for himself. _Daredevil_.

"See you Friday, Batman," Harry said, his smile a little bit cocky.

"See you Friday, Daredevil."

* * *

Louis didn't even wait a day to text Harry. After closing up the shop later that evening, he stood by his car and sent a text to Harry asking how his burn was faring. By the time Louis had parked on a side street near his building, Harry had texted back to say his arm was feeling fine.

Harry still came in for coffee every day, but the morning rush didn't allow for much socialising. Thus began a week of texting back and forth. It quickly became Louis' favourite thing to get a notification that _Daredevil_ had sent a text. Sometimes, Harry would tell Louis about his job--turned out Harry worked at a nearby recording studio--sometimes he would chat about the news, and sometimes Harry would treat Louis to the worst--but most endearing--jokes in the world.

By Friday, they had decided they would meet around six o'clock at a pub not far from Louis' flat. They could get some drinks and dinner, then decide if they wanted to just hang or go to a movie or a club. Louis was just looking forward to time with Harry that was neither at the cash register or a hospital A&E. He hoped Harry felt the same.

Louis made sure he got to leave work on time, then he quickly drove home to change into his best jeans and a tan jumper before walking down to the pub on the corner. Harry was already there waiting for him, leaning casually against the wall near the door. He was dressed in an all-black ensemble of skinny jeans, silky button-down, and leather jacket. He looked divine.

A smile bloomed on Harry's face when he spotted Louis approaching. "Batman!"

"Is that how you have me on your phone?" Louis asked, amused by the thought.

"Well, I thought it was only fair after I entered myself as Daredevil on your phone," Harry explained, still grinning widely.

"I'll take it," Louis told him, grinning back "Sorry if you've waited long. You ready to go in?"

"Wasn't waiting long at all. I only got here a few minutes ago," Harry said, straightening up. "I'm ready if you are."

Louis reached for the door and held it open for Harry, gesturing for him to go in first.

Harry looked back over his shoulder. "Is there a table you like best?"

"Over here." Louis moved past Harry toward the back corner table he preferred, praying it was free, but prepared for it not to be. It was Friday night.

Luck was with him, however, and a server was just cleaning the table, so Louis made sure to stand right by it so he could stake a claim when the server finished her job.

Once they were seated, the same server who had cleaned the table took their order for two pints of Guinness and two orders of fish and chips. Once she brought their pints, Harry and Louis were able to settle into their evening.

"So," Louis began. "You never told me. You a big superhero fan or do you just like to fuck with your baristas?"

Harry laughed--a beautiful sound Louis wanted to hear more of. "I like the Avengers. The first time, though, it was definitely meant to fuck with you. But after that, it wasn't."

"It wasn't?" Louis was surprised.

Harry shook his head and looked down into his pint shyly. He pulled in a deep breath, then confessed, "When I used Spider-Man that first time, you smiled. I wanted to see that smile again, so I kept using the superhero names."

Louis felt his heart clench, and his attraction to Harry tripled. "Spider-Man is my favourite superhero," he admitted.

"He is?"

"He is," Louis confirmed. "You picked a good name to start with. And for the record, I was really happy you came back."

Even in the darker light of the pub, Louis could see a blush creeping up Harry's cheeks. He was pretty sure it matched his own colouring. Louis cleared his throat and took a sip of his pint, taking a beat before they continued talking.

In an attempt to keep the conversation more light and less awkward, Louis pointed to Harry's arm and asked, "How's the burn?"

"Getting better," Harry answered with a soft smile, bringing out that dimple Louis had grown to love. "I'm doing exactly what the doctor said, and it's been improving a little bit every day."

"I'm still so sorry," Louis said.

Harry shrugged. "Accidents happen."

This was the moment their server reappeared with their food. After checking that they didn't need anything else, she left them to it.

Louis waited for Harry to take his first experimental bite of fish, regarding him expectantly.

"Mmm," Harry murmured. "This is really good."

Inwardly, Louis sighed with relief. "Glad you like it."

They spent a couple minutes staving off hunger, then Louis inquired, "So, tell me more about working at a recording studio."

"It's fun," Harry reported. "We occasionally get some big names in. Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, Robbie Williams. It's kind of cool to get to hear their new music first."

"That is really cool. We've had a few celebrities come into the café. That's always exciting," Louis said. "The best was when Chris Martin came in. He was really nice. He left a twenty pound note in our tip jar."

"Sweet!" Harry bit into a fry.

"Do you have any aspirations to be a musician yourself?" Louis wanted to know.

"I do actually do some singing and song writing," Harry revealed. "I'm learning so much watching other people in the studio. Maybe one day I'll have enough decent songs to record something myself."

"Ooh, maybe you'll play for me sometime." Louis smiled at the thought.

"You never know," Harry returned mysteriously.

As their dinner went on, they bounced from subject to subject, discussing music they liked, travel they'd taken--and wanted to take--movies they recommended, and how they missed their hometowns, even though London was lovely.

When their food and their pints were gone, they agreed to split the bill, then they ended up sitting at their table for another half an hour just talking. It was only when the pub began to get louder with more people coming in that they decided to leave and talk a walk.

Holding the door to the outside open for Harry, Louis said, "We could walk back to my place, if you like, to chat some more."

"Sure," Harry responded. "That sounds good."

It was a pleasant early summer night, so they walked slowly down the high street, and then down a couple of smaller streets to Louis' building. As they rode the lift up to the sixth floor, Louis mentally calculated when he'd last cleaned the lounge, and he decided it was probably okay. He might just have a few things to straighten, then they could settle in to continue their evening.

Louis made Harry wait outside in the corridor while he went in and quickly straightened up the lounge, folding his throw blanket and carrying empty glasses and plates into the kitchen. When the room looked company-ready, Louis ushered Harry inside.

At Louis' urging, Harry toed off his shoes just inside the door, then he followed Louis into the lounge. He looked with interest around the room, taking in the just-out-of-university look Louis had going on-simple furniture and not a lot of decoration. "I like it," he finally stated. "It's very cosy."

"Exactly what I was aiming for," Louis told him with a wide grin. "Can I get you a drink? Beer? Soda? Coffee? Tea that doesn't burn you?"

Harry chuckled. "Actually, could I just have some water?"

"Absolutely. Coming right up. Have a seat. Get comfy." Louis pointed to the plump blue sofa which had been his second big purchase for his flat, after his queen-size bed.

Once Harry was settling himself onto the sofa, Louis hustled into the kitchen and collected a bottle of water for each of them. When he returned to the lounge, Harry was checking his mobile, but he pocketed it as soon as Louis stood in front of him to hand over his water.

Louis settled in on the other side of the sofa and took a sip of his water. Harry did the same.

The silence for awkward for a brief moment, then Harry cleared his throat. "So, I got to tell you about my singing and song writing, but you didn't tell me if you have any ambitions beyond barista."

"Actually, I do. I'm looking for a job as a drama teacher," Louis told him. "I had a position at a secondary school not far from where I work now, but then their budget forced them to eliminate that position, so I'm working at the coffee shop while I job hunt."

Harry nodded. "Drama teacher. That makes sense."

Louis was surprised by this comment. "How so?"

"You do have a flair for drama," Harry said. "Those texts you sent about that old lady who came into the shop a couple days ago…. Such a perfect description. She sounded like a right tough customer."

"She was," Louis confirmed. "She was going to have her coffee exactly the way she wanted, no more, no less. Even if it was a quarter this, a quarter that. She had us make it four times before it was to her liking."

"So so funny. Anyway, I hope you find something soon," Harry wished for him. "Though I guess I'm kind of grateful your last position was eliminated."

Louis was flabbergasted. "What?"

"I wouldn't have met you otherwise," Harry stated plainly.

"Oh." Louis understood now. "I guess I'm kinda glad on that front, too."

At the same time, then, they each inched closer to the other. They both laughed at the simultaneous move.

"I wonder if you're thinking what I'm thinking," Louis said with a mischievous smile.

"I'm thinking that you're the hottest barista in all of London," Harry reported, smirking. "Is that what you were thinking?"

Louis shook his head, chuckling. "Not quite. I was thinking that there's something I've been wanting to do since the very first time you walked into the shop."

"What was that?" A glint in Harry's eyes told Louis that Harry already knew exactly what that was.

"This." Louis scooted forward, and Harry followed suit.

Once they were seated thigh to thigh, Louis leaned forward and placed his lips on Harry's. Harry did not fight back. To the contrary, Harry threw himself into the kiss, so much so that the kiss morphed from sweet and easy to dirty and passionate in no time at all.

Harry tasted like beer and fish, and though he'd shared many kisses where beer had been involved, this combination--the beer, the vinegary fish, and an essence he could only think of as _Harry_ \--was one he knew he would never forget.

They kissed each other until they were breathless and forced to separate, then they both breathed in deeply enough that they could lock lips once again. It was only after they had thoroughly explored each other's mouths and had an intimate knowledge of the spots which produced a moan and those which produced a shiver of pleasure that they stopped for a break.

After catching his breath, Harry proclaimed, "That was amazing."

Louis reached for his water and took a sip. "It certainly was."

"Was it everything you've been wanting?" Harry wanted to know.

"Not everything," Louis replied, keeping his voice low.

"Oh?" Harry appeared intrigued.

"You interested in finding out the other things I've been wanting to do?" Louis inquired, raising his eyebrows lasciviously.

Harry sat up straighter. "I most definitely am."

"Then all you need to do is follow me." Louis stood up and tilted his head toward the hallway behind him.

He didn't need to tell Harry twice.

* * *

Louis pulled his coat tighter around him and looked over to Harry, keeping step with him down the long high street. Where Louis was bundled in a turtleneck, a jumper, and a puffy coat, Harry was in a t-shirt and a leather jacket. "How on Earth are you not freezing?"

Harry shrugged. "Good genes, I guess." He reached for Louis' wrist, tugging his hand out of his pocket for Harry to hold. "I'll keep you warm."

It was Christmas time, and as they walked down the street in the waning daylight, they window shopped, picking out the gifts they would get for friends and family if they actually had money.

"How's the play coming?" Harry asked when they were done at the window for Selfridge's.

"Good. I think Jessaminda's finally getting the confidence she needs to rock the lead." A week before the start of the new school year, Louis had secured a job as an English/Drama teacher at a girls' secondary school in Hammersmith. He was loving working with the girls, and in January, they would be putting on their first big production.

"You said you thought she was the best for the part," Harry recalled, stopping to wait for the symbol to walk across the road.

"Absolutely," Louis said. "She has the best personality for the role by far. She just needed to figure that out, too."

They continued to walk down the road, content just to be in each other's company. They had recently celebrated their six-month anniversary, and they couldn't be happier.

"I was thinking…," Louis began, trailing off until he was sure he had all of Harry's attention.

"Did it hurt?" Harry teased. He did not seem surprised when Louis used his free hand to swat Harry's upper arm. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe after Christmas, we should consider moving in together," Louis proposed. "We're always either at yours together or mine together. We're losing a lot on rent."

"That's true," Harry agreed.

"Besides," Louis went on, "it would be nice to share a space with you."

Harry smiled. "It would be."

"So, what do you say?" Louis asked, holding his breath while he awaited the verdict.

"I think it's a good idea. We can either pick one of our places or look for something else to share. As long as you're there, it'll be home."

Louis couldn't help it, and he didn't care that they were stood there on the high street on a busy shopping night. He pulled Harry down for an enthusiastic kiss.

When they parted, Harry looked past Louis to something across the street. "Look." Louis followed his gaze to a Costa Coffee. "I'll bet we can get something there to warm you up."

"I'm in." Louis grabbed Harry's hand once more, and they waited for the signal to change so they could cross the busy thoroughfare.

The inside of the shop was warm, and the smell of brewing coffee and tea was inviting. The queue wasn't too long, so Harry and Louis jumped on and waited patiently for their turn. Louis knew better than most that the baristas were doing their best to serve everyone in a timely way.

When it was their turn, Louis ordered a tea and Harry ordered his favourite caramel macchiato.

The young barista taking their order inquired, "Names for the order?"

Louis and Harry exchanged a look, then grinned at each other, nodding.

In his best Yankee accent, Louis told her, "Captain America."

The barista smirked, but she wrote the name down on Louis' cup. She regarded Harry carefully "And you?"

"Winter Soldier," Harry replied.

This time the barista nodded in approval. "A match made in heaven."

Louis looked over at Harry and grinned. "Just like us."

Harry apparently couldn't care less that they were surrounded by strangers. He leaned over and kissed Louis soundly. "Exactly like us."

End (10 May 2018)


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